Signal lamp



4 R. N. FALGE 2,364,431

SIGNAL LAMP Filed Nov. 13, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w I $1 (Ittomegs R. N. FALGE SIGNAL LAMP Dec; 5,

Filed NOV. 13, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ihwen or m; z 2 5/ Z t Gttorneg Patented Dec. 5, 1944 Robert N. Falge, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a. corporation of Delaware Application November 13, 1941, Serial No. 418,895

1 Claim.

My invention relates to signal lamps for use on military vehicles and the like.

A signal lamp for a military vehicle must be so designed that the signal be not visible to enemy aircraft. It is, therefore, necessary to provide a lamp having a' limited visibility from above which at the same time meets visibility requirements to observers on the ground. I have met this requirement of limited visibility by providing a pair of spaced windows for the transmission of light from the light source. These spaced windows are sealed together in a unit with the source of light. This unit is removable and replaceable in a larger container which is mounted on the exterior of the vehicle.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a pair of spaced windows and a light source sealed in a substantially dust and moisture proof unit, this unit being removably mounted in a lamp housing fixed to a vehicle.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the window face of a signal lamp built according to my in- Vention.

Figure 2 is a view partially in section substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view from the connector end of the signal lamp with parts broken away' and in section.

.Figure 4 is a view in section substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in section substantially on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a view of the reinforcing plate from the concave side.

Figure '7 is a view in elevation of the window face of a modification of my invention.

Figure 8 is a view partially in section substantially on line 8-8 of Figure '7.

The housing of my signal lamp is made up of a generally cup-shaped casing l0 and cooperating cover plate I2. Screws! 4 engage threaded brackets I6 secured to the casing ID in any suitable manner such as by a rivet I8. A reinforcing plate is disposed in casing ID to furnish additional support for connector sockets 22 and mounting studs 24. As can be seenin Figure 6, plate 2|] is provided with a plurality of raised portions 25, in which holes 26 and 21 are made to receive sockets 22 and studs 24, respectively. Each connector socket 22 may be provided with a ridge or shoulder 28 which is clamped between rein" forcing plate 20 and casing [0. Mounting stud 24 clamps plate 20 and easing l0 between a head 29 and a staked portion 30. Casing it) may be recessed as indicated at 32 to permit the screw threads of stud 24 to extend all the wayto a plane flush with the outer face of casing Iii. Casing It! may be provided with an opening 34 at its under side to drain any moisture which may accumulate therein as a result of condensation or leakage. A trough or channel 36 in cover plate 52, provides for drainage from the space in the cover plate. Channel 36 partly overlies opening 34 and tends to obstruct the direct entrance of foreign matter from the underside.

If desired, cover plate 82 may be provided with a rather heavy, tight-fitting gasket 38 of any suitable substance such as rubber. Gasket 38 is provided with openings 40 and 42 through which extend sealed units 44 and 46 respectively. Unit 44 furnishes the stop light signal and unit 46 furnishes the tail light signal. Except for the number of windows, units 44 and 46 are substantially alike in construction. Each of these units constitutes a compartment 48 made of any suitable material such as drawn sheet metal.

Compartment 48 is open at each end. At one I end a light source such as an electric light bulb 50 is secured in the opening in any satisfactory manner as by a soldered connection 52 between compartment 48 and the base of bulb 50. The

- bulb base protrudes from compartment 48 and extends into socket connector 22 to be engaged by the connector which is inserted from the outside.

At the opposite end of compartment 48 is an enlargement or expansion 54 which provides a shoulder 56. A gasket 58 of a suitable material such as rubber may be disposed in enlargement or expansion 54 immediatel adjacent shoulder 56. Also disposed in the expanded end of compartment 48 are a light screen 60 and a lens 62. Light screen 60 is spaced from lens 62 by a suitable spacer. It has been found convenient to make the said spacer integral with one of members 60 or 62. As shown in the drawings member 60 is channel-shaped in longitudinal section having sides 64 which serve as spacers and a flange 66 which is clamped between the extended edge of lens 52 and shoulder 56. Screen 60 may be made of any suitable light filter substance having one face coated with an opaque substance such as black paint ('58. Light transmitting windows ill and 12 are provided in the opaque coatings of the filters of units 44 and 46 respectively. Lens 62 extends through a cooperating opening or slit ill in cover plate i 2. Lens 62 may be made of any suitable light conducting substance such as Lucite. The forward edges of enlargement 54 may be bent inwardly as indicated at 16. It can be seen then that lens 62 and filter or screen 60 are held in spaced assembled relation by being clamped between inwardly extending edges 16 and shoulder 56.

The modification shown in Figures 7 and 8 is similar to the signal lamp discussed above. The lower or tail light unit 46 is in fact identical with the tail light unit shown in Figures 1 and 2. However, the stop light unit indicated generally by 18 diiTers somewhat from the stop light unit shown in Figures 1 and 2 The stop light unit shown in Figures '7 and 8 is provided with a compartment 48 such as discussed above, but unit 18 is provided with a large lens 80 which may be colored to serve alsov as the filter. N0 separate filter is provided in unit 18. Otherwise the construction of the modification is substantially the same as that of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The optical properties of this signal lamp form no part of this invention. These properties are disclosed and claimed in a copending application of George W. Onksen, Jr., et al., Signal lamps, Serial No. 418,898, filed November 13, 1941.

It can be seen from the foregoing that this invention provides a signal lamp having a casing fixed to the vehicle but furnished with readily replaceable sealed units which contain the bulb, filter and lens. These units can be withdrawn from the casing by the simple expedient of removing two screws which makes it possible to remove the cover plate from the casing. As the cover plate is withdrawn it carries with it the sealed units drawing the bulb bases out of the connector sockets. The retaining gasket may then be pulled out of the cover plate, permitting removal of the defective unit and replacement of a new one. Of course, if no gasket 38 is used removal of. the cover plate will not remove the sealed units. These units will remain in place until removed individually.

I claim:

In a signal lamp, a casing having an open front end, a unit adapted to be mounted within said casing, said unit including a substantially tubular compartment, a light bulb in said compartment adjacent the rear end thereof and a light screen and lens mounted within the front end of said compartment said screen being provided with a peripheral flange clamped between said lens and said compartment and extending rearwardly from said flange within said compartment with a rear wall interposed between said lens and light bulb and longitudinally spaced therefrom and provided with a light transmitting opening, and means to detachably secure said unit within said casing with a portion of said lens exposed at the front end of the casing.

ROBERT N. FALGE. 

